Earlier this week Kobo released a new software update for Kobo ereaders that adds Instapaper support, but there are a lot of reports of the update causing problems with some Kobo models where they get stuck in a boot loop and won’t restart.
If you haven’t installed the software update on your Kobo ereader yet, you might want to hold off until they get the problem sorted out. It looks like they’ve pulled the update for some of the models so hopefully that’ll help contain the issue.
It appears to affect the newer models, the Clara BW, Clara Colour, and Libra Colour, along with some of the older models, including the Kobo Aura Edition 2 and Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2.
After installing the update, some users have reported that their Kobo gets stuck in a boot loop where it just keeps showing the loading screen but nothing ever happens.
Apparently the problem is so severe it’s turning perfectly functioning Kobo ereaders into bricks that are no longer usable at all. But it sounds like there is a way to trigger a factory reset so you can get your Kobo working again if this happens, but everything will get deleted and you’ll have to start over again with a factory reset device.
It’s been almost a full year since Kobo last updated their older models. They’ve really been slacking off on updates going back a few years now compared to how frequently they used to release updates. That is clearly coming back to bite them now. Trying to pinch pennies on software development is going to inevitably cause a lot of problems down the line, especially when they have to update over two dozen different models released over 14 years. At some point they’re going to have to pull the plug on updating some of the older models whether people like it or not. It’s unrealistic to expect the software developers to keep testing updates on that many different models.
Boot Loop Fix – Manual Factory Reset
If your Kobo ereader gets stuck in a boot loop after the latest software update and won’t turn on, you can try to trigger a manual factory reset to fix it. But this will wipe everything from your device and you’ll have to set it up again.
See this help article on Kobo’s webiste for directions on how to manually reset your Kobo ereader. The process is different for certain models, but you can find a link to directions for each model toward the bottom of that page.
The Clara HD has been updated without problems, but I will wait to install the new firmware on my other devices.
My Clara 2E has updated.. Not seeing boot loop, but twice recently it has gone non-responsive for 20-30 seconds, to the point I was about to try to force a reboot.
Forma and Sage updated with no issue.
The Clara b/w has been updated without any problems using manual install, Working perfectly
I wonder if it makes a difference whether or not you used the Pocket feature which is now replaced with Instapaper.
Don’t know. I heavily used Pocket though.
No issues with either the Clara BW or Libra Colour I updated yesterday. They booted without issue and each of them asked me about Instapaper after the reboot.
I wonder if there’s any relation to patches applied? Or if there’s certain vendor codes (FNAC, etc)?
My Kobo readers without problems came straight from. Kobo and have the Kobo vendor code.. The thread on mobileread.com shows no common thread – some people had Libra 2’s, for example.
“I wonder if there’s any relation to patches applied? ”
That’s my guess too.
I updated my new Kobo Libra Colour with no problem,.
Thank you so much for the warning. Our WiFi is intermittent at best and I only have it on to download new books. To lose everything would be a nightmare. I have all of my books downloaded to my Clara. I will wait until it is reported that this has been fixed. Thank you again, Nathan.
Kobo H2O woke up this morning and its sitting there stuck in a boot loop. restarted numerous times with different methods but returns to the 3 flashing dots. Haven’t updated it for months. Either it did an auto update or its very coincidental.
PC connection can’t see it.
The kobo website doesn’t show you how to do a manual reset of this particular model with no paperclip hole.
As its the original H2O with no reset hole i don’t see many options than toss it 🙁
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Try this: Manual reset your Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2.
Have same issue w/ Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2 and manual reset steps don’t appear to work. Connected to USB power and holding reset for 30+ secs. just enters same boot loop, no reset screen ever appears… 🙁
I think it may take several attempts and you have to disconnect from power after you have done a couple of restarts:
I’d almost given up. Tried all the resets on kobo’s help pages but I have a Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2 with no port cover – so some were pointless.
Decided to try chat with kobo and an agent got me to try the instructions above again and it worked and went to the black resetting screen. Then I went through several loops (3?) of resetting and being instructed onscreen to keep attached to power and press the power button. When I asked how many loops were expected, the agent told me to disconnect from power to hold power button until screen changed. Then I got onto wifi and date setting, back to another black updating screen, downloading updates etc. but eventually to logging in
Tried all the reset processes without any success. Perhaps it was just a coincidence after all.
As there is no Libre bw I guess I’ll pop off and get a new Clara bw.
Thanks anyway.
Contact them for a replacement – my Aura H2O is a brick as well.
Bonjour,
J’ai exactement le même soucis que vous sur ma Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2, elle est complètement bloquée, pas détectée par l’ordinateur, les softs resets ni font rien non plus.
Je vais essayer de la décharger complètement afin d’espérer une reboot du système par absence de batterie, vous pouvez éventuellement faire cela.
Une très mauvaise pub pour Kobo, si je n’arrive pas à la remettre en état, je passerai sur une autre marque.
Bonne soirée
Same problems for .me! Tried many times. Impossible to do hard reset without the paperclip hole. Any news about that? Thanks
No issues ( problems ) with my Libra 2 or My Kobo Clara HD BW . Older Kobos that are working fine after the update.
Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2 bricked. Won’t start, won’t reset
Got it going again by holding the power button until I got the restore screen. I was letting go after 30 seconds and no restore screen. If I held it longer I would see 2 flashes of black on the screen. When I timed the release of the power button to right when that happened, then it would go to the restore screen. It’s been running better than before the update.
My Kobo Libra Colour updated without an issue. I updated manually and no problems so far.
My Libra 2 and Sage are all working perfectly. Another comment though: I like the fact that Kobo still updates their older models. That makes me feel like investing in their models are worth it. Eink devices should last a long time too. I understand your concerns though.
My Clara BW ended up in the boot loop. With no pin hole to reset, it took me a while to find the steps to perform it with just the power button. Now I’m stuck in another loop with the “Hotspot Detected” error when I try to connect to my home WiFi and the Clara isn’t detected by my laptop when I plug it in so the Kobo app on the laptop isn’t helping either. None of the “fixes” are working.
Going to try a hotspot from my cellphone to see what happens.
Following update and book stuck in the loop.
After factory reset, My kobo aura thinks my home WiFi is a hotspot and won’t work. I’ve tried tethering to my phone to update – that also doesn’t work.
Not happy by a long shot!
Won’t be buying any more books at the minute as lost confidence in product.
That happened to my wife’s kobo and I was able to get it running again using the Kobo desktop app.
Mine though is stuck in a boot loop and I can’t figure out how to get it going again without a pin to do a hard reset.
My Aura Edition 2 is stuck in the loop. I have tried resetting, connecting to my computer and every other reset I can find online to no avail. 🙁
kobo aura h20 edition 2 bricked itself in the middle of night…
i track the scene quite closely and havent had a problem like this in 10 years.
insane. they better allow me to turn off auto updates in the future.
pissed ive lost my whole word bank and annotations.
been waiting for an update for a year and then this.
My GloHD and Libra H20 have both updated without issue. The GloHD took much longer, but it worked.
I had no issues at all with this latest (ver. 4.43.23418) firmware update to my Kobo Libra Colour e-reader.. The download, installation, and boot process proceeded smoothly and, upon startup, a notice regarding the end of Pocket and new Instapaper support was displayed. Everything appears to work just fine. (I purchased my e-reader directly from Kobo.)
I have a Kobo Clara 2E but I always have updated thru my USB and computer as I have had several Kobo ereaders and find it faster. Mine did get stuck in an update loop on the PC but when I was going to close the app it ended after probably 30 minutes. And luckily my ereader worked fine!
My Aura edition 2 seems bricked since earlier this week. Stuck on 3-dot loading screen. Won’t respond to soft and hard resets or a laptop connection. My wife’s Clara HD survived the update but is taking several seconds to turn a page since.
Anyone tried to contact Kobo about this? The devices are well out of warranty, but it feels very lame they can break and old device like this and get away with it.
I did a hard reset with my Kobo. Aura,
I no longer have a computer and the Kobo Aura is not recognizing my wifi,. It thinks it’s a hotspot. I’ve tethered to both my phone and my tablet but still nothing. I have no idea what to do with it now.
I had this issue with my KOBO Aura H2O impossible to hard reboot. I contacted the Kobo customer service. With a proof of purchase even if was 7 years old and a picture, they offer to exchange it for a refurbished Kobo Libra 2.
I wonder if this bug has been fixed yet? I’ve been holding off attempting to upgrade my Kobo Touch and Kobo Elipsa because of this (I’m in India and my devices were imported from abroad, so even if they offer a replacement it’s not going to be that easy).
I can probably attempt an upgrade on the Touch (if it even gets the upgrade?) after opening it up and backing up the internal microSD card. Sadly, the same isn’t possible for the Elipsa because the memory is nonremovable 🙁
Unless you really want Instapaper I wouldn’t update. I’ve been seeing a lot of reports of various other bugs with the new software too, and they still haven’t fixed the boot loop issue. Kobo taking a year off between updates seems to be causing them a good amount of trouble.